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Nature's way is simple and easy, but men prefer the intricate and artificial.

Laozi

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Laozi
Archivist
Philosopher
Writer
Lao-tze
Lao Tzu
Lao-tzu
Lao-tsu
Li Er
Laotze
Nature
Way
Men
Intricate
Artificial
Prefer
Simple
Easy

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The higher the sun ariseth, the less shadow doth he cast even so the greater is the goodness, the less doth it covet praise yet cannot avoid its rewards in honors.
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I have the mind of a fool, understanding nothing.
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When cleverness emerges There is great hypocrisy.
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Failure is the foundation of success: success is the lurking place of failure.
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In ancient times, people said that imperfect moves to becoming perfect. Are these words vain? No! Truly, by gaining Unity you come to Perfection!
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If the majority doesn't laugh at you, beware that you must be saying something wrong. When the majority thinks you are a fool, only then is there some possibility of you being a wise man.
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Use justice to rule a country. Use surprise to wage war. Use non-action to govern the world.
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Mold clay into a bowl. The empty space makes it useful.
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The True Person avoids extremes, self-indulgence, and extravagance.
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Water does not force its way.
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The more weapons of violence, the more misery to mankind. The triumph of violence ends in a festival of mourning.
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In the world there is nothing more submissive and weak than water. Yet for attacking that which is hard and strong nothing can surpass it.
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. . . the mind is desperate to fix the river {of events} in place: Possessed by ideas of the past, preoccupied with images of the future, it overlooks the plain truth of the moment.
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That which offers no resistance can enter where there is no space.
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If a great country yields to a small country, it will conquer the small country. If a small country yields to a great country, it will be conquered by the great country.
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Why do the people think so little of death? Because the rulers demand too much of life. Therefore the people take death lightly.
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Heaven's Way is like stretching a bow. The high is lowered and the low is raised. Excess is reduced and deficiency is replenished. Heaven's Way reduces excess and replenishes deficiency. People's Way is not so. They reduce the deficient and supply the excessive.
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In ancient times, those who followed the Way did not try to give people knowledge thereof, but kept them ignorant.
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The wise stand out because they see themselves as part of the Whole. They shine because they don't want to impress. They achieve great things because they don't look for recognition. Their wisdom is contained in what they are, not their opinions. They refuse to argue, so no-one argues with them.
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Be as the still mountain Move like the great river.
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